Terry Tomalin joined the St. Petersburg Times in 1986, but two years later he left to backpack, fly-fish and surf in New Zealand and Australia. He rejoined the Times in 1989 as a government reporter, but after climbing volcanoes and running white-water rivers, he found that the newsroom had lost its allure. So, he moved to the sports department. During the past 18 years, he has written about everything from cave diving to blue-water sailing. Tomalin, a fellow of the prestigious Explorers Club in New York City, is pursuing a master's degree in Florida studies, with an emphasis on the state's maritime tradition. An avid waterman, the 47-year-old hopes to one day swim from Europe to Asia.

Phone: (727) 893-8808

E-mail: tomalin@sptimes.com

Blog: The Wild Side